The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in Our Food and Drugs
Before Harvey Washington Wiley, there was no regular testing of food products. There was no rigorous examination of product claims for what were often “quack” medications, or questions about the safety of food additives. Jarrow’s look at the life and career of Wiley exposes the hidden dangers of some of the products that people ate regularly in the past, not knowing that they were, in some cases, ingesting poison. Wiley’s work included an ongoing study of volunteers known as the “poison eaters” for their willingness to ingest questionable ingredients, but it went far beyond this, and his passion for and commitment to consumer safety helped lead to the formation of the FDA. Wiley’s story also gives contemporary readers an introduction to the sorts of corporate lobbying and profiteering we still see today at the expense of the health and safety of ordinary people. Jarrow’s descriptions of tragic, horrifying, misleading or simply gross ingredients that were once commonplace are both fascinating and alarming. A book incorporating generous visual material, including photographs, documents, advertisements, and political cartoons, concludes with a glossary, timeline, detailed source notes, and recommended websites and books. ©2020 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 11 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Substantial Narrative Non-Fiction
Subjects:
19th Century
20th Century
Food and Cooking
History (Nonfiction)
Rumor, Myth and Misinformation
Science and Scientists
U.S. History
Publishers:
Boyds Mills, Calkins Creek
Publish Year: 2019
Pages: 157
ISBN: 9781629794389
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 344 Jarrow